Simon Cowell admits affair, battle with depression

Though Simon Cowell's affair with his friend's wife was widely reported last summer, the 54-year-old media mogul has stayed mum until recently.

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Simon Cowell admits affair, battle with depression

NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 27: TV producer Simon Cowell and journalist Katie Couric attend the 2015 Yahoo Digital Content NewFronts at Avery Fisher Hall on April 27, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Yahoo)

British television and music producer Simon Cowell (R) holds his award for Outstanding Contribution to Entertainment as he kisses his partner Lauren Silverman for photographers on the red carpet at the ELLE Style Awards 2015 in London on February 24, 2015. The ELLE Style Awards are the official closing party of London Fashion Week. AFP PHOTO / JUSTIN TALLIS (Photo credit should read JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP/Getty Images)

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - APRIL 05: Lauren Silverman and Simon Cowell at the Arts club on April 5, 2014 in London, England. (Photo by Mark Robert Milan/GC Images)

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - MARCH 26: Simon Cowell and Lauren Silverman at the I Can't Sing opening night party held at One Marylebone on March 26, 2014 in London, England. (Photo by Mark Robert Milan/FilmMagic,)

NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 16: Simon Cowell with his partner Lauren Silverman and newborn son Eric Cowell are seen leaving Lennox Hill Hospital on February 16, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Alessio Botticelli/GC Images)

NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 16: Simon Cowell with his partner Lauren Silverman and newborn son Eric Cowell are seen at their hotel on February 16, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Alessio Botticelli/GC Images)

In a candid interview with the UK's The Mirror, he admitted that he does "regret" embarking on a relationship while Lauren Silverman while she was still married to his friend, Andrew Silverman -- "but then of course you have a baby and you look at the baby and you kinda go, 'This is what happened from it.' In this situation you are not going to come out of this well because of the circumstances."

The first time dad is obviously overjoyed by his beautiful baby boy, but he does continue to admit to the wrongdoing that resulted in little Eric's birth. (E! reports that Lauren, who has a 7-year-old from her previous marriage, officially got divorced in December.)

"It is not something I am proud of or wanted to happen in terms of hurting anyone. It just happened. You have to deal with it and man up to it. You have to accept the responsibility and the criticism. All I can say is, my advice to you is if it happens to you, you just have to deal with it a day at a time and own up to your responsibilities."

Simon reveals that before the baby, he suffered from depression. He blames his long working hours and being alone. "Did a doctor say I was depressed? Yeah. I mean, I knew it myself. You are always looking for the next high from the show, and then actually you haven't got anyone to share it with per say, or if you haven't got any family around you, you can go a bit nuts."